In India, parental encouragement (46 per cent) followed by teachers and counsellors (13 per cent) are the key reasons for girls to pursue a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), reveals the latest Mastercard STEM research. Girls feel most encouraged in following such careers when parents and teachers offer hands-on help and support such as assisting them with their homework and sending them to classes.
Priti Singh, VP, HR, South Asia, Mastercard, said: “India will have the world’s youngest population by 2022 and the women play a definitive role in devising the future of our country. Our socio-economic growth is strongly correlated with its technological innovation caliber. We can build a better future by nurturing the next generation of female scientists, technologists, and engineers by actively supporting all aspects of a women’s career trajectory, from education to career ascension.”
In India, 93 per cent of 12 to 14-year-old girls surveyed consider STEM-related careers when they are younger, followed by 81 per cent of girls aged 15-16 followed by 70 per cent girls aged between 17-19. The STEM research further highlights girls are very interested to enter STEM jobs from a young age, and relevance to future plans (45 per cent), passion for the subject (42 per cent) and potential for higher pay (39 per cent) are amongst the main attractions to choose careers in STEM.
In this demographic, Engineers (40 per cent), Software Engineer (29 per cent), Doctor (29 per cent) and Scientists (24 per cent) are the top-ranked professions amongst young girls. However, 38 per cent of Indian teenage girls believe that they are ‘less likely’ than boys to pursue STEM because of the perceptions that it is a ‘male-dominated’ industry. Some of the reasons for the prevalence of this trend are that girls are generally ‘less interested’ in STEM (46 per cent) and parents ‘do not encourage’ women to choose STEM (31 per cent).
Mastercard has rolled out a series of a comprehensive suite of research assets and education outreach initiatives aimed at sparking and sustaining an interest in STEM amongst young girls.
One such programme is Girls4Tech, where Mastercard employees are engaged as role models and mentors, to showcase the company’s innovative payment technology to demonstrate the value of STEM-related subjects and careers through various fun, discovery-based exercises.
Mastercard has also partnered with various organisations and universities across the Asia Pacific to offer scholarships and internships for young women, including the Mastercard Scholarship for Women at Singapore University of Technology and Design, and Mastercard MBA Scholarships for Women at Singapore Management University.